Happy Birthday Tay!

Happy Birthday Tay!   I have not been great at blogging lately but I can't let a birthday go by without making a note.  Taylor turns 14 today!  Wow!  Where has the time gone?  It seems like just a short time ago she was born.  Taylor is the most delightful blessing in our lives!  Being a teenager is tough now-a-days and Taylor handles it beautifully!!

Taylor has certainly kept us busy this year.  No grass grows under her feet and we can hardly keep up with her!  She loves her family, Young Womens, her violin, friends and soccer!!

 Taylor has had a baby on her "hip" since she was old enough to carry one.  This is sweet MaeMae when she was a tiny baby!

Here she is with Kinni.  She refers to him as "her boy."  She will often say to Kim "I better go take care of my baby."  She absolutely loves all of her cousins and especially the little ones!

Tay has played the violin for 5 years now and she is really good!  I love to listen to her play.  Tay also loves her Grandma and will talk her ear off whenever they are together!

Tay does NOT love her headaches.  I felt like I needed to add it because in the past 4 months Tay has been to the ED 3 times with migraines and missed way too many days of school.  We are making progress in understanding the causes of her headaches and treating them.  She has been such a trooper! Most of her headaches last 5-8 days.  No fun to have a migraine that long.  This is new territory for all of us and Taylor has been patient with us as we have spent a lot of time in Doctor offices and hospitals. We are grateful for modern medicine and especially grateful for the power of the Priesthood as Taylor has asked for several blessings from Jeff to help her through this.  Taylor's strength has amazed me and I have found a new and deeper level of respect for her.  Through all of this she has kept amazing grades and her delightful attitude.  I know LOVE when she is talking endlessly because I know she feels good!  I really miss that when she is sick!

 Taylor loves her family!  She is a great daughter and sister!  She also loves the Broncos!!  The photo below was not planned.  She and Jordan showered and put on the same pajamas without knowing the other one would  When I caught them sitting the same I had to take a picture!

 Tay LOVES soccer and LOVES her soccer team!  Here they are above at the Dixie cup which they won a few days later.  The bigger story there was their pink kicking cancer jerseys.  The girls decided they would raise money to provide Christmas for Lili who was battling cancer.  They had these jersey's made in her honor and played excellent soccer.  Then they came home and raise nearly 3000.00 before Christmas!  Wow!!  Well done Taylor and Tsunami!!

 Celebrating Gold at the Cache Cup with her Bestie Lucy.  Not a day goes by that these 2 don't make me laugh!  

Taylor did a lot of growing between her 13th and 14th birthday and is not as tall as I am.  Taylor also grew Spiritually and is nearly finished with her Personal Progress.  Taylor is one of the most fun, energetic, smart, kind and beautiful girls I know.  I am humbled and proud to be her Mom.

Happy Birthday Tay!!  We love you!!!

Happy Birthday Jeff!!

Happy Birthday Jeffey, JT, Warren, Big Daddy….

These are some of the many names Jeff goes by!  Every day I am grateful for Jeff but on his birthday I am especially grateful!   Jeff has so many awesome characteristics! I feel like I say the same things over and over.. but they are all true!  Jeff is so hard working and devoted to his family.  Jeff is an excellent husband to me.  He truly is the perfect person for me.  I am so grateful to be married to someone who makes me so happy!  Jeff is super funny and I laugh at him all of the time!!!

 Jeff never lets us down with his "costumes"

 Jeff is an excellent father.  He supports his kids in every sense of the word!  Jeff and Chase are a lot alike.  So… whomever marries Chase is one lucky girl:)  Chaser looks up to his dad calling him often for help with adult problems!  Love them both!

Jeff used to chase Taesha everywhere watching her band and soft ball.  Now she is an adult and he still supports her in her life endeavors!

 Jeff is such a great step dad to Taylor (and Jordan)!  He is the ultimate soccer dad and all of the girls think he is coolest ever!  Taylor loves him and often talks about how glad she is to have him.

Mitchy loves his Dad!  Mitch is so tender and sweet and Jeff is as well.  Jeff's sense of humor is something Mitch has definitely picked up on!  I love it!!  

Jord loves her Jeffey.  She cuddles with I'm every night that he is home.  She will say "I love you jeffey" out of the blue.  

We are all so grateful for Jeff.  I especially am grateful to be married to my best friend.  I love being Jeff's wife and feel like it is a privilege to be married to him!  Happy Birthday to the man who does it all and does it all well!  I love you!!!

2013 Year in Review

 2013 was a crazy, wonderful year for us.  We were blessed with so many wonderful events!  Here are just a few!

Jeff and I were sealed in the Logan Temple. We were surrounded by so many of our close friends and family.  It was truly a wonderful day that I will never forget!  We also had some other fun events in 2013 but none that compare to that one!!  Jeff and I were able to go to Mexico with our good friends for a week and we had SO much fun!  We traveled with all of our kids and my parents to Virginia, Washington D.C. and New York for Chase's graduation.  We went to Disneyland with my entire family and it was so awesome!!   I took the girls to the Mall of America with Kim and Samantha and it was delightful!  As for me, I am rather boring… I started skiing with my friends on Wednesday and I look forward to it each week.  I kept going with my game night group and love them to death.  I continue to serve in the R.S. Presidency and love the Sisters I serve and the sisters I serve with!  We went to St. George and Bear Lake several times.   I spent a few weekends away with Jeff and spent a few weekends away with my sisters.  I spent countless hours in the car!  I am grateful that I get to stay home with my kids and remind myself how lucky I am every day.

Jeff continue to amaze me with everything he does!  He runs circles around me!!  He traveled to countless places for work and sold tons and tons of iFrogz and Zagg products.  He began working from home/commuting to Salt Lake.  He doesn't love the drive and I don't blame him!!  He is however positive about everything!  He spent a weekend in St. George with his friends from High School.  Went on a fun weekend trip to a Denver Broncos game with his good friend.  Met Chase in Denver to watch the Broncos play the Redskins.  He ran Ragnar again and this year the team had their lowest time ever.   Drove out boat for numerous house in Flaming Gorge and Bear Lake so everyone could have fun!  He serves in the Elders Quorum Presidency and continues to be an awesome husband, dad and provider.   I consider myself the luckiest woman in the world!

Chase graduated from Virginia Tech in Mechanical Engineering.  We were all able to go out to attend his graduation.  A few months later he took a job as an Engineer in Texas and works SO hard!!  He recently was able to transfer to Wyoming which I love because he is closer to home!  Chase continues to be such a bright spot in our lives.  He and Jeff get along so well and I love watching them interact.   2013 will forever be the year Chase became an adult.  I am so proud of him and love him loads!

Taesha continues to work hard at Domino's and goes to school part time.  She continues to love music and is becoming interested in the computer part of music.  I know there is a technical term for that and I don't' know it!  She continues to have a large personality!!

Taylor continues to love all things soccer!  She spent hours and hours playing soccer.  We love our soccer family and are so proud of her for the hard work she puts in.  She tore her calf muscle in late February and amazed me with her hard work to get back playing soccer!

Tay continues to ski and play the violin.  She is working hard on her personal progress!  She started 8th grade this year and started a new school.  Wow!  My sweet girl is getting so old!

Mitchy started 7th grade and went to junior high.  He continues to make us laugh endlessly with his witty sense of humor.  He is so loving and fun.  He took guitar and fencing lessons and continues to love all these Legos.  He has an incredible mind for that and it amazes me!!

This is the year Jord became a "lady"  She loves to be proper and get all dressed up!  She fell in love with dance and will do the splits in all sorts of random public places!  Jord is so sweet and loving I often say to Jeff that I wish we could just freeze her!  She is a blessing in our home!  She continues to have such a great sense of humor.  We never know what is coming next!

We lost my Grandma in July of 2013.  She was such an incredible lady and has left an awesome legacy.  I had adopted her motto in life which is "have a bar and go to bed."  I have learned to enjoy every moment and not always rush for the next one!  I often feel her close to me and feel so blessed to have been her granddaughter and spent some of her final hours with her.

Overall, we are so grateful for 2013 and the lessons it taught us.  A classmate of Taylor's passed away in early  2013 and that experience has also changed our family forever.  We continue to be grateful for the Gospel and the Atonement and blessed to be a member of the Latter Day Saint Church.  Where much is given much is required…  So for 2014 may we be a little nicer, more patient and give a littler more!!

A few more things...

I just wanted to add a few more events to 2013.  These are things that I didn't have any photos or forgot to post.  So for the record here are a few more fun things…

 Jeff and Scott went to an impromptu Denver game.  Scott called in the morning and they left that afternoon!  Love it!  Jeff said they had a blast!

 Jordan's school lunch day!  I always love this day.. Yes I brought my own Diet Coke.

 I have been serving in the Relief Society Presidency for about 18 months and about 5 or 6 months ago we got a new President and one new counselor.  I LOVE these ladies.  Here is our Drive through car wash visiting teachers conference.  AWESOME!

 The shop Christmas party!  I never do a full post on this but I look forward to it every year!!  

 Here is a picture of the primary kids in our ward.  I LOVE the Wellsville 8th Ward and love the people.  I feel extremely blessed and humbled to live among such awesome people! 

Kinni!  One of my favorites ever!  I love to babysit him and love every minute I spend with him.  I want Kim to work full time  so I can tend more but she just won't have it!!!

New Years at the Ranch 2013

We spend nearly every New Years at the Ranch and this year was no different.  There was not a lot of snow but there was enough for sledding and that was all we needed!!  We went sleigh riding, played TONS of cards, had an awesome fireworks show and ate way too much and laughed A LOT!

 Here is Kim thinking she can do the splits on the railing.  This was seriously such a funny moment!  Ryan's girlfriend Alicia (one of my favorite people ever) was/is a dancer as well so she just eggs this behavior one!  

 Kyson watching the fireworks!

 Manny (I think) and Kinni during the fireworks!

 Here are the kids all playing a game!  So fun!

 All of the kids pile in the bonus room to sleep.  Here is Mitchy reading nightly scriptures!

 Mitchell decided to meditate through the New Year and Jordan decided to do the splits at exactly midnight!  We had a great New Year and I was grateful to share it with my family!!

Christmas Afternoon 2013

Christmas afternoon we headed over to my parents house for our Dattage Christmas Party.  We had such a great time!  

We had an awesome lunch with WAY too much food!  

 Check out how big these kids below are getting!  WOW!!  All grown up!  Jill did an awesome hot chocolate bar that I didn't get a photo of!  

Every Christmas or Christmas Eve (whichever day our party is on) the kids all do a talent show.  It is one of my favorite things all year!  

 Kinni rang thèse belles and sang a song.  He melted my heart (as usual)!

 Reag sang a song and Samantha accompanied her.  I didn't get a picture of Mannie but she plays the piano really well!

 Ken danced!  That flexibility amazes me!

 Jord started playing the cello this year so she played us a Christmas song.  

 Andrew read a book.  He is only in Kindergarten and he can read like a whiz!!  I didn't get a picture but Mae sang Itsy Bitsy Spider and  Hayden helped her!

Tay played her violin.  She plays so beautifully now!  I love to listen (trust me, that hasn't always been the case)!

 Ryker and Hunter played catch for their talent!   Appropriate as Hunter ALWAYS has a football with him!

Kyson refused to show his talent and Jax wasn't feeling great and had feel asleep.  Next we had the annual Nativity program!

 Taylor and Ryker narrated this year.  It was SO tender!  Can't believe how grown up they are!

 Here is the whole crew minus Jax (asleep) all of the kids take this rather serious!  Mae was Mary this year and she was super serious about there part.  Look at her below she is listening so intently to what they big kids are saying!  Love her!!!

Kyson was Joseph and not so thrilled to be there.  He and Maelee were SO darn sweet.  Mae just held that baby so careful!

Then we did our gift exchange!  It was so awesome!  All of the kids got stuff they loved!  Jill gave Jordan a billion piece make up set!  I made up for it by giving Maelee a 3 foot tall Barbie!  Love!!

 We gave Ryker a beard-ski!  Love them!!

Alicia gave Taesha an awesome gift card basket.  

Alicia and Ryan gave me one of my favorite gifts ever.  It was a huge picture of Jeff and I.  She had made the frame and everything!  She is SO talented.  I loved it so much that I cried!!!  Thanks to everyone for making this another great Christmas.  And with that Christmas 2013 is in the books!